Bulgarian Diplomats: Brazil Released Weightlifting Champ Boevski

Weightlifting champion Galabin Boevski, who was jailed in Brazil on cocaine trafficking charges, and was to spent over 9 years in jail, surprisingly returned to Bulgaria Wednesday. Photo BGNES

The decision to release Bulgarian weightlifting champion Galabin Boevski was taken by Brazil, which is not required to notify Bulgaria.

The statement was made by Ivaylo Kashkanov, spokesman for the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry, who spoke on the phone for bTV Thursday morning. This was his reply to a reporter's question whether Bulgaria knew about the surprising return.

Galabin Boevski, who was jailed in Brazil on cocaine trafficking charges, and was to spent over 9 years in jail, surprisingly returned to Bulgaria Wednesday.

In its evening broadcast, the public television, the Bulgarian National Television, BNT, aired footage, showing Boevski at the Sofia international airport, arriving on a flight from Paris and greeted by his family.

Only BNT reporter, Yordan Dimitrov, has been at the airport to film the arrival and try to get some details.

When approached by Dimitrov, the athlete refused any comment as did the Bulgarian embassy in Brazil, and his Bulgarian lawyer.

Kashkanov explained that Boevski has received a temporary passport to return to Bulgaria and that the Ministry expected a report from the Bulgarian embassy in Brazil, which is to shed light on what has happened and particularly, if Boevski was exonerated."

"This is a decision of the Brazilian government and they are obliged to notify the embassy in advance. Once they made the decision to release him they acted autonomously," he added.

According to him, diplomats have not been involved in negotiating the release of the Bulgarian athlete, as this was a purely judicial matter.

"We followed closely the events there, but after the sentence entered into force, the Bulgarian embassy could not interfere," the spokesman concluded.

Meanwhile, journalists, who have been camping on the street, where Boevski's apartment in Sofia is located, report they hear noise inside the home, but no one has been seen coming in and out.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!